Canada was a very different place when the first Ukrainian settlers arrived, says Michael Gregory, president of the Ukrainian Congress of Canada’s Saskatoon branch.

“Imagine you’ve left your home country, travelled across Europe, got on a boat in England, then stayed on that boat for a month and a half. You’ve pulled into port, taken a train to Winnipeg, then somebody that knew you were coming picked you up at the train station, and dropped you off in the middle of a field. You’re home.”

The provincial government has officially designated 2016 the Year of Saskatchewan Ukrainians. Four important anniversaries happen this year: the 125th anniversary of Ukrainian settlement in Canada, the 25th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from Russia, the 75th anniversary of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and the 100th anniversary of the Mohyla Institute, a student residence near the University of Saskatchewan.

For the 125th anniversary of Ukrainian settlement, Gregory says organizations like the UCC wanted to recognize those pioneers, as well as the contributions Ukrainian-Canadians have made to the nation.

Kalenchuk’s sawmill.Courtesy of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress

“We built the churches, the halls, the schools,” he says. “We’re not a First Nation, but we put ourselves as one of the founding nations of Canada.”

As more Ukrainian settlers came to Saskatchewan, they congregated in groups, forming communities that exist to this day, including around Yorkton and Redberry Lake.

Steve Senyk, chair of the Mohyla Institute’s board, says these first settlers wanted to preserve their language and culture, and to protect themselves against hostilities. Ukrainian-Canadians were sent to internment camps during the First World War, and schoolchildren who didn’t speak English were often beaten.

“But over time, people persevered,” Senyk says. “They said, ‘We are not here as temporary people; this is our new land, and we cherish Canada; we’re going to be important people in that Canadian fabric.’ ”

The Mohyla influence

Those early pioneers valued education, and wanted to give their children more opportunities than they had, but with so few schools in rural areas, options were limited.

In 1916, a group of students in Saskatoon met at the West Side Theatre and collected $7.36 as seed money toward creating a student residence. That meeting sparked the creation of the Mohyla Institute.

“It was a very bold and daring move on their part,” Senyk says.

Initially, most of the students were elementary school aged, and from the beginning, the institute promoted the education of girls and women. As more schools were built in rural Saskatchewan, the education level of the Mohyla residents changed to university and technical school attendees.

Today, Mohyla encourages people from all backgrounds to make the institute home. Students from Brazil, Germany, China, India, and elsewhere find comfort behind its storied walls.

“It’s like a little United Nations here, and in some ways it parallels that early history where people got together because they felt they had to preserve their heritage,” Senyk says.

Hauling saw logs for first hall.Courtesy of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress

Recognized by the Government of Canada as a national historic event, the creation of the Mohyla Institute was integral to developing the Ukrainian community in Canada. Members of the institute were involved in the creation of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada, and the Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association, among other groups and communities.

“The Mohyla Institute has a string of names of people who did well, and reflect back to the time when Ukrainian pioneers said, ‘We need to make our contribution to Canada.’ ”

The institute celebrated its 100th anniversary in June, during a weekend that included activities, parties, an open house at the institute, a church service, and — of course — lots of food. Alumni as far back as the 1940s came to the event.

Connecting past and present

Although many Ukrainian-Canadians today are generations removed from their ancestors’ home country, social media has helped to reignite interest in Ukraine, especially since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the resulting war and unrest.

“Social media is so quick, so instantaneous, people here have been drawn to say, ‘Wait a minute, that’s the land of my forefathers; what are they doing?’ ” Gregory says.

The interest in Ukraine stretches beyond the digital realm, too: Last year, a group of Ukrainian-Canadians rallied together to donate refurbished ambulances to Ukraine; in 2006, Senyk travelled to Ukraine to serve as an international observer during the country’s election.

An early wedding.Courtesy of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress

Gregory also notes that more people are becoming interested in learning about their heritage, and with new resources like online ancestry services, it’s easier than ever to learn about family history.

“We don’t want to forget our past, our homeland,” he says. “We think of (Ukraine), we keep them in our hearts and our prayers, but also we’re Canadian.”

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